Special Report No.59 - AFC

We are compelled to acknowledge the existence of this comprehensive transmit which was tabled in the Victorian State Parliament in November 1998. The report was prepared by the former Victorian Auditor General, Mr. Ches Baragwanath, with the remaining field work completed by members of his staff. A summary of the reports' format and contents is as follows. There are 145 pages including a foreword; charts, tables, graphs and a few illustrations. Also included is a seperate 8-panel leaflet, titled "In Brief", which provides a summary of the reports most important findings. The report is divided into 9 sections, most of which commence with an overview; they are identified as:

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 PART 4 PART 5 PART 6 PART 7 PART 8 PART 9

Executive Summary Background to the Automated Fare Collection System Conduct of the Audit System planning and selection of the preferred contractor Contractual arrangements for the automated system Extent of progress in commissioning the automated system Monitoring the performance of the automated system Public image of the automated system Implications of the automated system on future operations of Public Transport

The report stresses that at the time of its release, the final commissioning of the AFC system had yet to occur. This is distinct from completion of the roll-out which was all but achieved. The Auditors Office reveals completely the short sighted and unnecessary chain of events that were a major detriment to every facet of the AFC project being implemented as desired by all parties. It is of no surprise that the underlying blame must rest firmly with both the Public Transport Commission and the former Kennett Liberal Government. They clearly demonstrated unrealistic expectations given the enormity and complexity of what they were asking for. You might also wonder why the Onelink Consortium signed a contract which safeguarded the PTC, but turned out to be a nightmare for themselves. Lastly, the report recognizes, and correctly so, the potential impact the shortfalls of the limping AFC system could have on the successful privatisation of the Metropolitan transport system in the not too distant future. Special Report No.59 can be viewed at the Victorian Auditor_General's Office page. The hardcopy version should still be obtainable (at minimal cost) from either the Audit Victoria City Office or the Information Victoria bookshop.